This invention relates to recreational equipment and, more particularly, to ski equipment and bicycles.
Skiing and cycling are enormously popular sports. As a result, the technology in connection with ski equipment and road and mountain bikes has improved dramatically throughout the last decade. Mountain biking is an especially popular form of recreation and exercise, and many people find enormous pleasure riding their mountain bikes on snowy backcountry trails or in alpine/mountainous regions with partial snow conditions. However, many outdoor enthusiasts find it especially difficult and even dangerous to attempt to ride their bikes down snowy hills, especially when the hill is steep or the snow is deep. Additionally, seated ski devices are gaining some popularity. These devices can be very difficult to transport to the top of a slope. In view of this, it would be highly advantageous to provide adventurous people with the ability to easily and effortlessly combine the benefits of cycling, and especially mountain biking, with the enjoyment of skiing. Thus, there is a need for a bicycle and a ski system for converting the bicycle between wheeled and skied conditions very quickly for providing a rider with the ability to switch between wheeled navigation and ski navigation.
The above problems and others are at least partially solved and the above purposes and others realized in new and improved bicycle and ski system for a bicycle. In a preferred embodiment, the invention proposes apparatus including a bicycle frame having front forks and an attached rear wheel, a ski and an attachment assembly securing the front forks and the rear wheel to the ski. The attachment assembly includes an attachment hub securing the front forks to the ski and a harness securing the rear wheel to the ski. The attachment hub includes a quick release assembly carried by a support attached to the ski, and the support includes a first portion supporting the quick release assembly and a resiliently attached second portion attached to the ski. The harness includes closable straps attached to a base secured to the ski. A front wheel that is removably engagable to the front forks is also included. In this embodiment, the front wheel is attached to the rear wheel and to portions of the frame with attachments.
In another embodiment, the invention proposes apparatus including a bicycle frame having front forks and an attached rear wheel, a front wheel, a ski and an attachment assembly disposed on the ski. The frame is adjustable between a wheeled condition including the front wheel attached to the front forks and a skied condition including the attachment assembly attached to the front forks and the rear wheel. The attachment assembly includes an attachment hub and a harness. The attachment hub includes a quick release assembly carried by a support attached to the ski, and the support includes a first portion supporting the quick release assembly and a resiliently attached second portion attached to the ski. The harness includes closable straps attached to a base secured to the ski. Also included are attachments for releasably securing the front wheel to the rear wheel and to portions of the frame in the skied condition of the frame.
In yet another embodiment, the invention proposes apparatus including a bicycle frame having front forks and an attached rear wheel, a front wheel, a ski, an attachment assembly disposed on the ski and another attachment assembly disposed on the frame. In this embodiment, the frame is adjustable between a wheeled condition including the front wheel attached to the front forks and the ski attached to the other attachment assembly and a skied condition including the attachment assembly attached to the front forks and the rear wheel. The attachment assembly includes an attachment hub and a harness. The attachment hub includes a quick release assembly carried by a support attached to the ski, and the support includes an upper portion supporting the quick release assembly and a resiliently attached lower portion attached to the ski. The harness includes closable straps attached to a base secured to the ski. The other attachment assembly includes a strapped gripping element and a closable strap. Also included are attachments for releasably securing the front wheel to the rear wheel and to portions of the frame in the skied condition of the frame.
Consistent with the foregoing, the invention also contemplates associated methods.